More Than $10.5 Million Awarded for Coral Reef Projects and Studies in Fiscal Year 2020

The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program has awarded over $10.5 million in grants and cooperative agreements this year to support conservation projects and scientific studies that benefit coral reef ecosystem management in seven U.S. states and territories, and internationally in the Caribbean, the Coral Triangle, the South Pacific, and Micronesia. Awards were also provided for conferences, fellowship programs, and special projects focused on coral reef conservation.

Healthy coral reefs provide billions of dollars in food, jobs, recreational opportunities, coastal protection, and other important goods and services to people around the world. A recent U.S. Geological Survey study determined that U.S. coral reefs annually provide flood protection to over 18,000 Americans and $1.8 billion worth of coastal infrastructure. The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program is leading efforts to study and conserve these precious resources for current and future generations.

All of the awarded projects support research to address impacts from the three primary threats to coral reefs: global environmental change, land-based sources of pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices. Additionally, the awards fund direct intervention strategies, such as coral reef restoration.

The funds were awarded to state and territorial resource management agencies, non-governmental organizations, community groups, and academic partners. These awards also build upon long-term partnerships with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Nature Conservancy to cooperatively fund priority coral conservation projects.

View the 2020 grant awards here

View the 2020 grant awards infographic here

Related Stories and Products

• Over $9.3 Million Awarded For Coral Reef Projects and Studies (FY2019 Grants)
• Over $8.3 Million Awarded For Coral Reef Projects and Studies (FY2018 Grants)